


i've built my life around you

by callumsmitchells



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, romantic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:02:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27473221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/callumsmitchells/pseuds/callumsmitchells
Summary: Callum is a little romantic and keeps a box with treasured moments from his and Ben's relationship. He lets Ben look at what's in it.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 4
Kudos: 75





	i've built my life around you

**Author's Note:**

> for anon, who asked for this after friday nights episode after seeing stuart being romantic like this! i hope you enjoy x 
> 
> tumblr: @callumsmitchells

“What’s that?” Ben asks, crossing his legs underneath him. 

The door has only just shut behind Callum, and there's a familiarity of hooking his coat up next to Ben's that makes it feel like home, even at this early stage of officially living together. 

The air is cold, although the cold provides a freshness that is creeping in through the barely open window. Outside, it's misty, a miserable grey monotonous cloud cascading over the sky, seemingly never ending. There's no screaming children on the pavement, all joyful and full of laughter, all of them probably tucked up inside to avoid the cold and the inevitable downpour. The only noise really comes from the cars on the square, and the distant market traders too.

Callum's standing, holding a box in his hands. He looks down at it and smiles. "I forgot to bring it, when I moved in." He admits. "Thought I'd bring it around now, before Stu decides to do a clear out and throws it away.” 

Ben raises an eyebrow, and puts his cup of tea on the table in front of him, letting it fall down with a soft clatter. "What's in it?" He inquires. 

A gentle chuckle falls from Callum's lips and he passes the box over to Ben, who's perhaps shocked when Callum does so. "Go on." Callum presses, and there's a smile on his face, meshing almost perfectly with the pink blush fighting against his cheeks. 

Ben opens up the lid with ease, and Callum sits down next to him, sinking into the sofa. He takes the lid from Ben's hand, and places it down on his lap. 

"Is this your shirt?" Ben asks, picking it up by the shoulders, holding it half spread out in front of him. 

There's a grin on Callum's face, beaming and bright and undeniably full of nothing but love and adoration. "Yeah." He says, but it comes out as a coarse whisper. He coughs to clear his throat. "I was wearing it wh-"

"When we met for the first time." Ben interrupts and there's a shiver that tingles all the way down his spine. He neatly folds the shirt, and before he places it down anywhere, he holds it to his face. "Still smells like you." 

Callum chuckles and shakes his head in disbelief. "Shut up." He says, as he nudges his elbow into Ben's side. His voice is full of his smile, all light and giddy. 

Ben smiles gently and places the folded shirt down on the coffee table. He goes back into the box and pulls out a small rectangular piece of paper, decorated with black ink. "A receipt?" He asks, cocking an eyebrow.

Callum hums, resting his chin on Ben's shoulder. "Recognise the date?" He asks, pointing it out on the receipt. The ink is already starting to fade on the places it's been folded and crumpled. 

"Our first date. First proper date." Ben says, not even having to think for a second about the dates importance for him and Callum. “I can’t believe you kept this.” 

Callum just shrugs his shoulders. “It’s uh, it’s important to me.  _ You’re  _ important to me. It was our first proper date - that ended well anyway.” 

Ben lets out a soft chuckle and turns his face to look at Callum. They’re just inches apart, and Ben can feel Callum’s warm breath against his skin. “It definitely ended well from what I remember.” Ben points out, and he wiggles his eyebrows which elicits a small giggle from Callum. “I seem to remember us holding hands walking back to the flat, and then-” Ben words fizzle out into nothingness when Callum’s large hand cradles his face, the pad of his thumb tugging gently at Ben’s bottom lip, until finally,  _ finally _ , Callum’s lips trap Ben’s in a soft and loving embrace. Moments later, when Callum painstakingly pulls away from the touch, he rests his chin back on Ben’s shoulder and they smile innocently at each other. “Yeah, it went something like that.” 

“I thought so.” Callum smiles. 

“Is there anything else in it?” Ben asks.

Callum nods, and Ben looks back down and into the box. He picks out another piece of paper, this time slightly thicker and a much bigger size. He recognised it instantly, or rather, recognised the drawing instantly. “Lex.” He breathes out, letting his thumb trace over the colourful lines and squiggles created by crayons. “You kept this?”

“Course I did.” Callum admits, looking at the piece of paper himself. It’s decorated with three people, all holding hands. Underneath each person is a name, written in a childlike scrawl:  _ Daddy, Lexi, Callum.  _

“Was this the first time she stayed over at the flat?” Ben asks. 

Callum laughs softly, remembering that weekend, and how tired he was once it was over, after Lexi ran him completely ragged. “Remembered to buy some crayons for her to keep there after that.” 

“She couldn’t understand why you didn’t have any already.” Ben chuckles. “I didn’t think she wanted to draw this though.” 

Callum grins. “Not complaining about it though.” He says. “I’ll never take this for granted. There’s one more thing in there.” 

Ben looks down at the box and lifts it out. “Wrapping paper?” He asks, raising an eyebrow as he looks back at Callum. 

“From when you told me you loved me for the first time.” Callum explains.

The wrapping paper is all crumpled, with a tiny tear in the corner, because Callum is always too eager when he is unwrapping presents to take care. 

“I thought I binned all the wrapping paper.” Ben says, but it’s obvious that he’s glad Callum managed to keep some of it.

Callum shakes his head. “Nope.” He grins. “I wanted to keep this. I wanted to remember that moment forever. I still do.”

Ben smiles gently, and lets his body fall into Callum’s. “Is that why you’ve kept all of these things?” He asks. 

Callum wraps his arm around Ben’s body, trapping him in a hug. His fingers tickle against Ben’s waist, snaking under his shirt. Callum hums. “I kept them because you mean the world to me, and I want to remember all of these moments for as long as I live.”

“When did you get so romantic?” Ben asks, turning his head to look at Callum, watching as his skin turns into a blotchy pink mess.

Callum shrugs. “Probably around the time I met you.”


End file.
